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Is anyone interested in non-fiction group reads about Japan, particularly history? I could nominate a few that are gathering dust on my to-read shelf.

Yes.

Bill wrote: "Is anyone interested in non-fiction group reads about Japan, particularly history? I could nominate a few that are gathering dust on my to-read shelf."

YES!!

Depends on the topic exactly, but yes.

I am in !

I've added a 'History' tab to the voting spreadsheet, and put four books on it. I own all of these, but haven't read any of them yet. I may add a few more books to the sheet this weekend. Feel free to add to it, of course!

All the ones so far are on Tokugawa or Meiji / Taisho Japan (1600-1868, 1868-1926, respectively).

The books "High City, Low City" and "Tokyo Rising" by Seidensticker were later merged into one volume titled "Tokyo from Edo to Showa 1867-1989". So there's no problem with some of us reading "High City, Low City" and some reading "Tokyo from Edo to Showa".

A monthly read just wouldn't work. It takes longer to read non-fiction. I'm thinking we'll pick one book and keep at it until we're done or give up, and then vote on the next book.

that's sounds like a really sound approach Bill :)

Added another two books. And no one else has even looked at the sheet yet...

Bill wrote: "Added another two books. And no one else has even looked at the sheet yet..."

That danged job that pays for my book habit has gotten in my way. Lol

Will check out your list in the am. Happily.

I am also interested!

Bill wrote: "I've added a 'History' tab to the voting spreadsheet, and put four books on it. I own all of these, but haven't read any of them yet. I may add a few more books to the sheet this weekend. Feel free..."

I am sorry but where can I find the list?

I'm sorry. I should have pasted it here. It's the same as in the book club voting thread:

I'm definitely in for this. I think a couple of months is realistic for me to get through a history book. Have added my votes (only 1 of Bill's choices is in my local library, hence my vote). I've also added in another one that is quite recent. I'm not savvy enough to be able to create a link for it, sorry :)

I identified the ones I know I would be willing to buy and read. There are two more I'm down for in theory, but suspect I'd not actually get around to them, so trying to be self-aware. I also added one I own. I'd have to buy any of these. I don't know how to link from a google doc either, Alan.

- search for the book in goodreads.
- select and copy from your browser (top of the page) the link. ex.g /book/show/1...
- right mouse click on teh cell in excell
- select insert link
- paste the address there
- done

i did it for Alan's proposal (to see if it works. it worked :) )

Agnetta wrote: "- search for the book in goodreads.
- select and copy from your browser (top of the page) the link. ex.g /book/show/1...
- right most click on teh c..."

Thanks Agnetta! :)

If you don't know how to do something, steal the code :)

You just have to look at one of the cells where I have a link, and do the same.

I have added a few random history books I have on my shelves and ticked any I can get my hands on without bankrupting myself. :)

I marked my picks and also added a book, Zen and Japanese Culture. It is not much of a history book, but perhaps it can provide some cultural background to other things we would be reading?

That's a great idea! I'm not sure if I'll have time for it, so I won't vote but I might join in anyway :)

One of the people who expressed interest hasn't voted yet, and we've got a four way tie. When our last voter votes, please break that tie!

I've gone back in and added some votes for titles I'm interested in and can get cheap 2nd hand, so depending on whether anyone else does vote, for now we have a leader :)

I guess it's time then to declare Inventing Japan the winner, then. While we still have a winner :)

I'll go ahead and order a copy. How much time will each of you need to get hold of the book?

I hope GR doesn't object, but there are five copies of the book available here for around $4 US.

Similar prices in the UK for 2nd hand copies, Bill. Given we are mid-October, a collective read-along for November and December is what I might tentatively suggest? From what I see it's just under 200 pages so I can manage that, even with Christmas looming!! Eek. ☺️ But I'm more than happy to go along with whatever the consensus is.

Alan wrote: "Similar prices in the UK for 2nd hand copies, Bill. Given we are mid-October, a collective read-along for November and December is what I might tentatively suggest? From what I see it's just under ..."

That sounds good to me. I own a copy but need to finish several other books before I start. I’m really looking forward to this!

At only 167 pages of text (and relatively large print), this should be a quick read. I expect people will be able to finish it within a month. But I don't know how quickly our overseas readers can get a hold of a copy.

I found a second hand I can get from the UK, I will get it beginning of November. I am good for the November read of this one.

I really love to rescue second hand books. (and cats).

I hope they send me the one with the nice cover

My copy arrived, so I'm good to go!

I recently did an edX course on Visualising Japan, which covered 1850-1930s. It was OK, but what it did open up to me was the enormously rich online resources collected by MIT and available to all. A lot of it will be particularly of interest as we read Buruma's book, as there is a lot of overlap. Click on links and you get deeper and deeper into the site, with essays and fantastic images of woodcuts, lithographs and paintings. I recommend it for anyone interested. Check it out at:

I've ordered my copy, should be here between 1-4th nov. :)

Our next History read (I know, we're still working through Inventing Japan) will be:

High City, Low City on Tokyo from 1867 to 1923.

I don't know if that's still in print. He wrote a companion volume from 1923 to 1989, and they were reprinted in one volume as Tokyo from Edo to Showa

So buy whichever you find available.

UK Amazon has it used from about £7 with postage, for the hardback edition. I'm still deciding if I'll join. :)

Bill wrote: "Our next History read (I know, we're still working through Inventing Japan) will be:

High City, Low City on Tokyo from 1867 to 1923.

I don't know if that's still in print. He wrote ..."

Thanks for explaining, Bill. I’ll search today.

@Jeshika, there are a couple of cheaper editions on eBay (if you use it). We might end up fighting over them! But like you, I'm not sure.

I think that it depends when we might be planning to do this? Bill, any thoughts? If it's December then I probably won't be in, just too much going on. But January for a 2 month discussion I could probably do. As ever, I'm a democrat, so just happy to go along with the consensus.

We can wait until after New Years. I don't want to interfere with the normal group reads, either (as I've apparently been the villain stopping people from reading Villain this month).

Bill wrote: "We can wait until after New Years. I don't want to interfere with the normal group reads, either (as I've apparently been the villain stopping people from reading Villain this month)."

You are a tempter but we all had free will. :)

I’d prefer Jan 1 for our next history read, too. I’m looking forward to it, but the pile of obligation is at 5 as of 1 December and, when my reading turns into homework on which I’m behind, I need to pause on taking on any additional commitments.

Later is better, if just because some of us will attempt the full 600 page version.

Bill wrote: "We can wait until after New Years. I don't want to interfere with the normal group reads, either (as I've apparently been the villain stopping people from reading Villain this month)."

yeah, I am torn between the 2 unfinished reads, it is terrible !

The Five Books newsletter published an interview with Michael Wert, author of Samurai: A Concise History, discussing his selection of the best 5 books to learn about samurai. Perhaps later this year we can read 1 of these 5 that intrigues the group. I have a slight bias toward the first 3.

Performing the Great Peace: Political Space and Open Secrets in Tokugawa Japan by Luke S. Roberts (2012) (288 pages). Roberts is Professor of Japanese History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a specialist in political culture in Edo period Japan, among other subjects, with a particular focus on the history of Tosa province.

The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan by Eiko Ikegami (1997)(488 pages) Eiko Ikegami is the Walter A. Eberstadt Professor of Sociology and History at the New School for Social Research in New York City. In 1997, her work The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan won the Best Book Award On Asia from the American Sociological Association. Her 2006 book Bonds of Civility: Aesthetic Networks and the Political Origins of Japanese Culture won five awards. Areas of Focus: Comparative historical sociology; Japanese society; theory; cultural sociology; economic sociology; Information technology, autism.

Tour of Duty: Samurai, Military Service in Edo, and the Culture of Early Modern Japan by Constantine Nomikos Vaporis(2008) (318 pages) Vaporis is Professor and Director of Asian Studies (Ph.D. Princeton University) at UMBC. He is the author of Breaking Barriers: Travel and the State in Early Modern Japan; Tour of Duty: Samurai, Military Service in Edo and the Culture of Early Modern Japan; Nihonjin to sankin kôtai [The Japanese and Alternate Attendance]; and Voices of Early Modern Japan. Contemporary Accounts of Daily Life during the Age of the Shoguns.

Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai by Kokichi Katsu (written in 1843) (174 pages)

Lust, Commerce, and Corruption by Kate Wildman and Mark Teeuwen (written in 1816) (446 pages)

I think it's time to open this up for new nominations & voting, as discussion of Low City High City has mostly run its course.

I've cleared the old votes from the History tab, but have left the old nominations in place. As our last two books were on Meiji to the present, I ask that people vote this time for something older.

Thanks for that Bill. I'm keen to read something about Samurai history, or religious history (Shinto and/or Buddhism), so I'll see what is a) on the list and b) readily available and maybe add a title or two.

Thanks, Bill. Both subjects you mention appeal to me, Alan. I’ll take another run at the Samurai titles in comment 39 checking for availability and likely will nominate a couple, and will also troll through some other sources tomorrow.

I added some and voted. I wasn't particularly psyched about the Shinto book on the list, but the topic generally intrigues, especially if the book is short. The same author, C. Scott Littleton, also wroteThe Sacred East: An Illustrated to Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto, which appeals more, but takes us out of a purely Japanese focus.

It's not that defocusing. They all exist in Japan, except Hinduism.

I've added a couple of votes. Like you, Carol, the Shinto book on the sheet doesn't look as good as others that are available. I've had a dig around and what I saw that interested me either wasn't in my library or were just too expensive, even 2nd hand, on Amazon or ebay.

Saying that, I'm totally up for The Sacred East: An Illustrated to Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto that you suggest (and it is available cheap!!). Whilst our purpose here is a Japanese focus, maybe it's a good (or essential) thing to see how the development of religious beliefs in Japan compares to other countries?

If you or Bill want to add it to the list, I'll happily vote for it :-)

Alan wrote: "I've added a couple of votes. Like you, Carol, the Shinto book on the sheet doesn't look as good as others that are available. I've had a dig around and what I saw that interested me either wasn't ..."

I'll add it. I haven't studied comparative religions since tenth grade. That's a scary long time ago. lol

Thanks Carol!! ☺️

Alan wrote: "Thanks Carol!! ☺️"

You’re welcome!

How do you feel about reading a graphic history/nonfiction book? Shigeru Mizuki's 1973 book, Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths? I don't know how expensive it is for everyone else. For me, it's $14 - 20 and I'm okay with that in this instance for a group read, but it's definitely more than we each typically spend for group reads.

Hi all! I'm not sure if this goes exactly under this topic since it's mostly cultural, but I recently encountered excerpts of Watsuji Tetsuro 's book Climate And Culture: A Philosophical Study on a thesis. The book has to do with the climate/weather and also the quality of sunlight etc and how it has shaped the Japanese culture/aesthetics etc!! Also, in comparison to other cultures with different conditions and light (eg Greece/India/North Europe). I think it's not available as a physical copy now but I have found it as a pdf file here in English: .

Two excerpts:

"The Japanese have long been recognised as an artistic people and they do truly excel in their ability to express openly and intuitively what is within. However, while the Greeks sensed through sight, the Japanese saw through sense, a difference that it would be wrong to disregard. Japan shares this characteristic with China and India; the only difference lies in the matter of composition in "meeting of feeling" and here Indian art is completely divergent."

"In Japan, the light and shade of the atmosphere which gives an abundance of variety of the kind of the morning mist, the evening fog, or the spring haze which we experience as a matter, of course, has an important function; for in one aspect, it provides a sense of season or of time, of calm or of freshness, and, in another aspect, it is the source of the charm of the light and shade of the landscape itself."


I haven't read it yet but it's on my list. Also, I'm Greek and it seems extra intriguing to me!

On aesthetics/culture is also the In Praise of Shadows by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, which I assume is probably already well known in this community but just sharing it as well in case someone is not familiar with it.